Stories

Photo by Kelly VaughenHistorian Mara Cherkasky of Prologue DC describes the process of archiving the documents and photographs found in the Post No. 5 home. Local veterans, representatives from the American University Washington College of Law, local archivists and preservationists spoke of the importance of preserving the history of organizations such as American Legion James Reese Europe Post No. 5. The… Read More

James Reese Europe, one of the first World War I black officers to lead troops into battle and the American Legion Post No. 5’s namesake, lies buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Less than 10 miles away, the Post No. 5’s home in Washington, D.C., is now the focus of a historic preservation effort led by American University Washington College of Law’s Community… Read More

Inside a North Capitol Street row house, its exterior a distinct faded magenta on a block of brown, red and peach row homes, lives a century’s worth of stories. Awards, ledgers, photographs, newspaper clippings, flags—a mountain of historical material, and the residence itself, belong to the American Legion James Reese Europe Post No. 5, one of the first African American veterans’ legions to form… Read More

Current events become history and memories fade, but usually the next generation carries the stories into the future. But what happens when the next generation is missing? The American Legion, James Reese Europe Post No. 5 of Washington, D.C., one of the only surviving American Legion posts, is confronting this exact problem. Photo by D. Ashley Campbell Post No. 5 namesake, James… Read More